But perhaps some will say What needs all this adoe what needs this sad behaviour or solemne Assembly Doth not God sea the heart and if our bearts can but bleed in sorrow for sin What need our eyes weep our tongues lament our countenances be sad or our whole behaviour solemne Ans The reason is though I might give you severall yet being in hast take this one for all as the maine Because the Lord our God is Lord as well of Body as of Soule and as well of Soule as of Body And therefore in performing any service unto him he expects-both in his Service and Worship as in Prayer our Knees must be bended to him in signe of our humility our Eyes our Hands our Hearts and all must be listed up unto him in signe of our confidence So in lamenting our sins Let our Eyes weep our Breasts sigh our Tongues complain our whole Body faint and our Soule languish see Mary weeping Peter weeping and Jeremy never making an end of weeping for the sins of his people Besides these outward circumstanees doe most lively expresse our inward sorrows Down down then with all the signes and sales of Vanity and in true sorrow and humility humble your selves before God and cry unto the Lord saying praying Enter not O Lord into judgement with thy servants for in thy sight no flesh shall be justified Keep us O God from the cursed custome of sinning and from the direfull executioners of vengeance especially from the Sword Good Lord deliver us Call a solemne Assembly It was an ordinary custome in any common calamity to rent their garments put on sackcloth and mourne in ashes When the Israelites found want of the favour of God they put off their wonted Garments as in Genesis in Amos in Iob in Ionah may be found But not to stay at all upon the renting of garments and cloathing with sackeloth nor to dwell any longer upon sad behaviours heavy countenances or solemne Assemblies I le onely wish you observe how that the sorrow and sadnesse of spirit draws the Body and all the abiliments of the Body into the participation and manifestation of griefe and indeed how is it possible that our countenance should testifie gladnesse when our hearts are heavy And though I grant that it is not needfull now to use such shadows in the light of the Gospel which hath brought us greater liberty So that whensoever you reade or heare of Isay 22.12 Weeping Mourning Baldnesse or girding with Sackcloth repentance by these signes are but thereby noted out unto us for Repentance neither consists in sackcloth nor ashes nor in any externall thing but onely in the heart Those who doe in good earnest Repent and are displeased with themselves they hate their sins and are touched to the quick with such a sense and feeling of sorrow that they abhor and detest themselves and their life past and by these outward signes they give testimony of their inward sorrow so that humbling themselves before God they therewithall shew testimony of that displeasure they had conceived in themselves before men so that indeed the signes alone are nothing and the Ceremonies are indifferent neither have we any Commandement to put on sackcloth or to pluck off our haire but the occasion of this Discourse and naming of these Signes and Ceremonies is That I might the better prevaile with you all willingly and in good earnest to put the truth of these signes in practice namely to have an unsaigned displeasure with your selves that you have so displeased your God confesse your sins your rebellions your offences and that with a broken heart and sorrowfull soule with an intent to leade a new life and hereafter as resolutely to strive against sin as we have formerly served cheerfully under it for if we judge not our selves worthy of punishment we cannot come into favour with God And therefore as the poor Malefactor bows down his face and cloaths himselfe in vile and base rayment to move the heart of the Judge so ought we to run in all humility to Gods mercy in our Lord Jesus Christ with unfaigned testimonies of our inward Repentance for conversion begins at the heart So the Prophet Joel Rent your hearts and not your garments And therefore to leave the signes to passe by the ceremonies and close up all in our mourning weeds our heavy countenances sad behaviours and solemne assemblies let us be sure to cloath mourning minds and truely sorrowfull soules Augustine is said to weep a shower of teares Ambrose a flood of tears And I am sure Jeremy wisht for a Fountain of tears Certain it is that none of us can condole so much as we ought for our sins are many and Gods plagues are mighty and therefore a deluge of tears were little enough to bear the Ark of our sorrow for our sins I have thus far brought you sorrowing towards this deluge this sea this fountaine of sorrow let us still follow on with paces of lamentation and sorrowfull remembrances of our sins which have forced the Lord to his Armoury and to put on the garments of Vengeance against us And for that purpose I shall endeavour to robe your selves with mourning garments and cloath them with the inward sackcloth of sorrow that your hearts thus rent and torne to pieces with godly griefe you may cry more earnestly to the God of mercy to spare this Land and not adde to our afflictions least those that have evill will at our English Sion rejoyce and triumph at our present miseries Souls sorrow outward griefe The word Solemne shews that our outward sorrow should testifie our inward griefe so that that which went before was but the Signe we now come to the Truth For our part we pronounce not renting of cloaths onely without the putting on of other robes not so much wishing you to put on sackcloth as to put on Christ Indâ—iâ—e is the voyce of Scripture not Scindite Put on not Rent off the Originall being from that of St. Paul Put on the Lord Iesus Christ which will be the better performed if you please to acquaint your selves with this inward mourning not Scindite Vestimenta but Scindite Corda Rent not your cloathes but rent your hearts And it was not without much reason that Solomon gives councell To goe to the house of mourning Est enim illie benedictio there is performed that blessing which Christ promiseth Mat. 5.4 A blessing is promised no where to mirth but to Mourning our Saviour hath annexed this reward And surely the keeping under of the soule is much available to all religious and devout offices and I am sure there ought to be sorrow in every soul The whole course of our Saviours life was spent in solitary sorrow and doubtlesse the cause of his sufferings being in us our Sins we had need all the dayes of our Pilgrimage lament for our sins that brought upon our Iesus a burthen so heavy insomuch that not
that are his he corrects but for a time but his anger never asswageth towards the reprobate though for a long time he deferre And therefore grudge not to see the wicked flourish like a green Bay-tree for a time passe but by a little and upon your return his place will not be found for God holds not the wicked innocent But for you though you be afflicted here you shall be comforted hereafter for through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven This is the Kings high-way to happinesse and there is not a Saint in Heaven but hath led this way and beaten this path before us For Stones cannot be squared for Pallaceworke without the stroke of the Hammar and we must be content to endure the stroaks of Gods Hammar of afflictions that we may be polished and squared and made lively Stones fit to be layd in the Heavenly Jerusalem What matters it then to see Dives here flant it in Purple and fare deliciously every day when at last he must be tormented in flames while hunger-starved Lazarus though afflicted here yet his comfort is hereafter and is transported from the Porch of a Tyrant to the Bosome of Abraham Besides though God useth many wayes to bring us home unto him yet none more then affliction It was Hunger that drove the Prodigall home to his Father And surely nothing so opens the Eyes of the soule as misery and trouble O how correction opens those Eyes which prosperity kept shut O how often doth the paining of the Body work the saving of the Soule O how often doe missortunes like the Rungs in Jacobs Ladder serve to mount out soules up to Heaven Let God then wound us so he will but heale us let him strik our Bodies with sicknesse with sores with restraint so he will but with these wounds heale out Soules Let come what will come so it but chase us to God drive us home to his House end in Prayer and make us cry unto the Lord. 10. But still the afflicted soule goeth on and sayeth Though God tell us that he holds not the wicked iunocent and will not surely cleare them but ordains them for judgement and reserves them for correction yet we dayly see that they doe not onely flourish here in this world but goe to their graves in peace and are not to any outward appearance in trouble like other men Well saith God in the tenth or last place Say they doe yet will I meet with them in their Children and punish their sins in their posterity Visiting the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children and upon their Childrens Children unto the third and fourth Generation they shall be sure to tast of the bitter Cup of Gods wrath here as their Fathers doe in Hell Thus if this name of God in these ten severall properties were but rightly understood and applyed were it but as oyntment poured out and spread upon our hearts there is nothing in distresse nothing in trouble nothing in misery could hinder us from crying to the Lord considering he is strong mereifull gracious abundant in goodnesse and truth and forgiving iniquity transgression and sin c. But without any further enlargement upon these proparties in their severall particulars I will onely clap them altogether and make Application and so hasten you again to the House of Mourning to cry unto the Lord. Is the Lord thus strong and mercifull and gracious c. then why should a Christian trouble himselfe at any thing that befals him here Hath he crafty enemies let him goe cry to the Lord for direction his wisedome is infinitely beyond their policy Hath he strong enemies let him goe cry to the Lord he is mightier and stronger then they all In a word hath he any outward affliction or inward corruption that doth annoy or trouble him let him goe cry to the Lord and have recourse to his God and there he shall find remedy for all nay whatsoever mans ease be if he hut seek the Lord he shall have help Psal 145.18.19 So sayes that Princely Prophet God is neer to all that call upon him yea to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will save them And though their hearts be so oppressed that they can utter no words that 's no matter God will have respect to their very desires and surely their teares speak highest and their sighs cry loudest in the Ears of God Let us then groane for a broken heart and sigh and fob and weep and cry Cry unto the Lord. Thus having done with this peoples behaviour in the time of Famine and likewise with the Remedy they used they east their burthen upon the Lord as also with the Motives inducing them thereunto because he is able being the Lord and willing because their God Let us now close up all in our mourning garments and robing our soules with the inward sackcloth of sorrow not onely Pray but Weep nor Weep alone but Cry Cry unto the Lord. From whence the Point is this They who would not have God to shut his eares against their Prayers must be sure that they not onely Pray but Cry and that their Petitions proceed from a broken heart and an humble spirit For till the heart be even pulled in pieces by godly sorrow and rent in sunder with godly griefe sin and lust will not out and then there can be no acceptance looked for from God either of us or of our services The sacrifice of God saith David Psal 51.17 is a sorrowfull spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Mar. 7.35 And therefore did Christ groane in his Spirit when he Prayed for that poor man in the Gospel So did Hannah sigh and weep sore 1 Sam. 1.15 and poured out her soule before God And there is good reason to move us to labour thus to be inwardly touched for till we have a sense and feeling of our wants we may well speak but we can never Pray till the heart be pained with sin its impossible it should be fervent for the pardon of it He that hath no feeling of poverty cannot earnestly intreat for a supply of his necessities He that hath no feeling of his sicknesse can never be an instant suiter for the means of health So he that hath no feeling of his spirituall poverty can never covetously hunt after those true treasures which onely enrich his soule to all eternity And he that hath no sense of his sin-sick soule can never seek to that true Physitian who onely can apply Physicke to his bleeding heart and sin-sick burthened soule This serves for the reproofe of those that come with drowsie verball Prayers those that come with words of course to intreat God to pardon their sins and strengthen their Faith but never poure out their soules before God but onely spend a little breath and they
Obstinacy in sin never to be cured Job painting out this evill saith That the sinner taketh pleasure therein and that it seemeth sweet unto him it is as pellets of sugar under his tongue he first delights in the company of sin then he marries himselfe unto sin and leaves her not till death them depart Thus sin creepeth into the heart by steps and degrees till at last it sinks him down to the bottom of Hell But woe is pronovnced to that sinfull Nation to that people that are laden with iniquity Isay 5.18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cord of vanity and sin as with cart ropes For God is a severe punisheâ— of sin and his wrath fails not to come and seize on those that soâ—â— pillows underneath their sins Ephes 5.6 So St. Paul Let no man deceive yâ—â— with vain words for for such things commeth the wrath of God upoâ— the children of disobedience Was it not sin that brought the cursâ— upon Adam and all his Posterity his Apple proves his poysonâ— 1 Sam. 23 28. Saul for his disobedience was turned out of his Kingdom What 〈◊〉 the ruine and destruction of Countres and Cities but the sins 〈◊〉 the People 2 Sam 24 15. Davids sins and his Pride was the death of seventy thousand in an instant there the people perisheth for the sin of the Prince I could tell you of a Prince that perished for the sins of the people whose like was no King before him neither after him arose there any like him You may find him your selves 2 King 23 25 26. Like unto him was there no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fiercenesse of his wrath wherewith he was angry against Judah c. 2 Kings 22 2. Josiah a good King one whose like was not before him Josiah who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet Josiah must be slain Thus you see when iniquity hath playd her part vengeance will leape upon the stage What was the reason why Gods hand was stretched over this Land why the Sword devoured and the people perished but the sins of the Nation And was there ever more sinning or ever lesse remorse for sin What is this world but the region of sin a Sea of filthinesie and whilst men are bewitched with the delight thereof how like Swine doe they wallow in the filthy mire and puddle of their sins It may be their bodies are curiously deckt and shining but alas they have nasty and abominable soules Is not our Land still full of Achans looking upon the Wedge of Gold Ios 7 21. or Babylonish Garment How is the beauty of Bathsheba able to entice the greatest number Gehazi will still post after Naaman for rich presents 2 Sam. 11 12. but the leprosie follows him close at his heels vengeance attends him neer Was there ever more Drinking Swearing Stealing Lying Envying c. and since our sins thus cry for vengeance what wonder is it that the Lord is stil up in arms against us O then put away your swinish drunkennesse your prophane swearing your brutish fleshlinesse your devilish lying and deceiving your hellish covetousnesse your savage eruelty and all your other notorieties and frame the whole course of your lives according to the rules of Temperance Chastity Truth Righteousnesse and holinesse and so though our souls be yet all staind with sinue they may in time become cleerer and whiter then snow Let as all with a spirituall eye behold the things of the world separate from their seeming beauty and so we shall not be bewitcht therewith Let us consider Gold and Silver not as glistring and shining but as drosse and dung yea as poysonous through a curse incorporated herewith-all if our hearts be insected with the love thereof or by any unlawfull means we doe seek after it Let us consider the beauty of the fairest woman as vanity or as a piece of painted clay or as a stale set for the taking of silly fooles And lastly Let us consider all other pleasing things as Drinking Banqueting Gaming Playing c. as the very stinging of a Scorpion which giveth incredible delight for the present but is by and by turned into tormenting and deadly pangs till the man thus stung perisheth And therefore since sinne is thus hurtfull let it be as hatefull unto us and let us hereafter strive as resolutely against sin as we have formerly served cheerfully under it Let us hate all sins of all suits and keep our selves from all spot of sin 1 Thes 5 22. And with St. Paul Abstaine from all appearance of evill Iude ver 23. And with Iude Hate the very garment spotted with the flesh In a word Let us avoyd all sins and have nothing to doe with these filthy inmates that are dayly plotting and contriving to set the whole tenement on fire and are good for nothing but to bring rottennesse into our bones and bowels And let us not defer to turn from sin nor delay till the Morning but take warning by the foolish Virgins for to morrow for ought we know may be the midnight of Christs call when if we be found wallowing in the mire of our sins and stinking puddles of our iniquities how can we hope or expect to be taken as associates to so glorious a Bridegroom And thus having found the cause of our sufferings to be in our selves let us lament for our sins that have brought upon us a burthen so heavy the onely way to re-infavour us again with our justly offended God And for that purpose I shall endeavour my selfe to the utmost of my skill to clothe every one of you with a livery of sorrow which is the next in the Text the assembly called must be solemne Call an assembly First part of the method or order Ierusalem the largest map of misery that ever eye beheld having been often threatned often battered and her visitation growing neerer and greater then before Salem being to become a tributary City Lam. 1.4 Jerusalem a solitary widow the wayes of Sion to mourne her streets to be empty her gates desolate her feasts unfrequented her Priests to sigh and her Virgins to be afflicted she her selfe the object of this sight and subject of this sorrow Lam. 1.2 to weep day and night and the tears to run down her cheeks continually her plagues growing mighty because her sins were waxen many many committing them few mourning for them Ezek. 9.2.5.6 The Lord now sendeth six to destroy this City commanding them to spare none nor take no pitty but to destroy young and old Maids Children and Women yet to touch none that had the Marke and what this marke is you may see in the fourth verse Sighing sobbing
reason of the heate of the Plague or at least by reason of the heate of the Plague of sinne fly unto this place Here be the waters of comfort here are wells enough to be drawne off to coole the heate of a thirsting soule This is the Place which God hath Proclaimed to the World That if the heavy laden will but come he will ease them if the thirsty will but come he will refresh them O ye Righteous souls who in the time of Warre are in continuall feare and danger of your bodies imprisoning of your goods plundering of your sons butchering of your daughters deflouring and of the pouring forth of your blood like water upon the ground and not onely the perpetuall enslaving of you and your posterity but that which is worst of all the violating of your Consciences by Oaths and Ingagements at the will of the Conquerour fly unto this House here be the Armes and Armory of the strong men and when you cry your Enemies shall turne backe O ye Righteous souls who in the time of Famine are ready to dye for hunger having pale and bloodlesse Faces lanke and leane bodies hunger-starved carkasses and in this extremity know not what to doe run to this Flace this House the Master whereof can feed an Elias by Ravens A Daniell in Dungeons And the Widow and her Son with a Cruse of Oyle that never wasteth and here shall ye be sure to finde satning food for your soules In a word In any calamity in all straights and miseries whatsoever fly to this Place this House of the Lord your God And in all kinds of distresse let us approach this Throne of Grace let us enter these Gates and Courts with joy let our Prayers come unto him in his holy Temple and let us all like David be glad when men say Come lot us goe to the House of the Lord for there is salve for every sore there is medicine for every dise ase and there is comfort at all assayes In this world we are as Pilgrims having here no continuing City and while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord in which Pilgrimage many are the troubles of the Righteous and if they fly to this sacred Sanctuary and there cry unto the Lord the Lord delivers them out of all And to hearren you hereunto know for your comforts That the Lord whom you serve is not like to the Princes and Rulers of the Earth who desire not to be molested with requests from their distressed Subjects but its joy to the Almighty and he takes pleasure to heare their supplications and is most glad when they aske or beg of him the best things What a comfort is this then to all afflicted souls in the heat and height of their afflictions and depth of their miseries to have a place of refuge and a place of refreshment and preservation to run unto and there refresh their wearied members and supplicate the God of Glory and the God of all Consolation But now though we have a place of safety to fly unto in the time of trouble and danger yet a man may mistake his way thither and then never a whit the neerer And therefore least we should erre in our way to this place the Lord himselfe hath given us a constant guide and card of directiâ—n to leade us thereunto even the witnesse of his holy Word Wâ—itten and Sealed that can never deceive us but is as a fiery pillar unto us in the darke desert of this World to shew us the way to that Heavenly Canaan It is a lanthorne to our feet and a light to our paths let then our loynes be girded and let us beare in our hands this shining light But yet though we have a place to fly to in trouble and likewise a guide to direct us the way yet a man especially in misery would not willingly goe to a place where he hath neither title nor right nor interest nor friend nor acquaintance where he may expect if not shutting the doore upon him yet at least poor entertainment and miserable comforters Now to hearten us against these feares the Text tells us That we are of the same Family or Houshold for the Master or Lord of this house is our God so that it is as it were our own for it is usuall for Children or servants to call their Fathers or Masters house wherein they live our House and there we shall finde our best acquaintance and our choicest friends even God our Father Christ our Brother and the holy Ghost our Comforter But still though we have a secure place of refuge to fly unto in danger and a guide to direct us that we erre not in our way and good right and Interest thereunto being of the same Family and Friends and acquaintance there also yet being infected with the Plague of sinne and laden with iniquity we may feare that we shall not be received for those in whose soules the Plague of sin doth reigne however they may come into the society of the Church yet cannot be admitted to the Throne of Grace And therefore to the end our sins should neither dishearten nor hinder us know That the Lord our God hath given us Christ the Righteous to cover our unrighteousnesso so that as pure and cleane we might come unto him He hath put on us the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 that being adorned with his righteousnesse and holinesse as lacob was with the goodly garments of his elder Brother Esau we might with confidence betake our selves to this Asylum and in the name of Christ might goe to the name of Iohovah and in his name the Subject hath as much right to goe as the King the People as the Priest the Slave as the Lord the Servant as the Master and the infected as the sound for Christ prayeth with us all as our Brother he prayes for us all as our High Priest and he is prayd unto by us all as our Lord he alone is the Eye wherewith we see the Father the Hand to offer up our Prayers unto him the Mouth to speake unto him and therefore let us goe unto him by vertue of this right that he is the Lord our God and we of his Family and Houshold But for all this though we have a House to goe unto and want not a guide and be of the same Family and stored with Acquaintance and adorned with our Elder Brothers Righteousnesse yet if we be lame or have not Feet to carry us thither we are but like the Creeple at the Poole obnoxious to all hindrances And therefore though the Feet of the Flesh be sufficient to carry us to the Church yet we must have other Feet even spirituall Legs before we can come to this House namely the Feet of Faith and Prayer Faith is the first Foot 2 Cor. 1.24 for if by Faith we stand by Faith we may also goe to the Lord who is faithfull and
Acts 9.4 who ceased from going on in his persecuting course that he might heare Christ speaking unto him And thus the Word is able to make our soules Immortall for t is a great deceit to think to retaine our sins still and yet to heare the Word unto salvation And if so then what shall become of those men that set down their resolution to continue in theirsins for a season are resolved to trade in Drunkennesse Whoredom Covetousnesse c surely there can be no ground in such mens hearts for the Word of God to grow up to the saving of their soules the seed may happily be sown amongst them but it cannot possibly enter to doe them good Obj. But it may be objected That if the Word cannot profit any but such as put away all sin it cannot then profit any man that heareth seeing no man can so put away his sins as that his ground may be cleare Ans The Answer is this That every godly person doth cleere the ground of his heart from all sin so as that he is not pleased with any sin but he hates it and himselfe for committing it he strives against it and he is dayly grieved and poures forth his supplications for the pardon of it You may look for this at your leisures upon the first of Saint John the third and third and fifth and eighteenth and he that will not once put his helping hand to the removing of his sins that he may make roome for the Word of God to be grafted in him need never look for any comfortable event of his hearing but having thus shaken off all impediments all distracting objects and hearkning unto the Word without disturbance hearing as it were for our lives thus heare and your soules shall live Secondly VVe must prove all things and keep that which is good we must heate with judgement and hearken for our selves its ordinary with most men to heare for others and not for themselves but we must have a speciall care to look to that Doctrine which in particular concerns us to lay that up in our hearts and apply it effectually and this is a rule of singular thrift in godlinesse if we doe marke what sin in us the Lord reproveth or what comfort is especially fitted to our hearts or what direction doth chiefly concerne us and he hath an honest memory that will be sure to keep these things though he forget all the rest but he hath a wretched memory and heart too that forgets these things though he could repeat all the Sermon verbatim 3. After we have heard two things likewise must be done First we must by Meditation labour to make those things we have heard and which concerns us fast that they slip not out of our minds and we must take heed that neither the Devill steale away the good seed nor our own hearts through negligence lose it the VVord being let into the heart must setledly continue and not be broken off by the wild beasts of vain speeches and cogitations nor blowne out by the gusts of strong winds of Sathans temptations or of his Instruments that will immediately after we have heard the word be offering other objects for our minds to be taken up withall Psal 1.2 The blessed man doth not onely Reade but Meditates upon the Word David hid the word in his heart even as he that hath bought a Pearle of incomparable worth hideth it And as the Husbandman having cast his Seed into the ground harrowes it in so this Heavenly Plant of the word must be set into the understanding and affections it must enter into the heart as before is said like the Impe into the Stocke and being imbraced and closed about with love and affections it then thrives and grows and prospers David is a notable example for this how often doth he expresse his affections to the word in his 119. Psalme And Saint Paul professed Rom. 7.22 the Law to have been his delight as it is indeed oâ— every blessed man for the hearing of the word is not sufficient neither is it sufficient to keep those things we havâ— heard for an houre but it ought to be our delight and our dayly worke we should alwayes be thinking and ruminating of what we have heard till there be a sure impression of the word in our hearts Let then every one of us gage our soules and try and see whether we finde our selves to be such as to whom the word is thus powerfull to save our soules that we goe not on upon false grounds in our hopes about this unspeakable blessednesse Doth thy heart cleave before the word Preached through trembling and terrour in respect of thy sins and the sins of others Is it ingrafted in thee Doth it enter into thy understanding and is it closed about with a most earnest love and affection Doth it remaine with thee after the hearing of it by serious Meditation and doth it grow and is it vigorous in thy life over-topping all superfluous branches of sin then thou mayest truely comfort thy selfe it shall undoubtedly be thy salvation But if thine heart be hardened and not to be moved before the word if thy understanding be so blinded as that thou hast no apprehension of that which is taught if thy affections be so benummed as that thou art without all love unto it if thou give way to worldly and vaine discourses works or sports after thou hast heard insomuch that all departeth out of thy memory againe so soon as thou hast received it if all teaching be neglected and thou swimmest in the streame of thine owne corruptions then look not up to the joyes of Heaven for no part of them belongs unto thee for though Food being eaten is able to save the life and Apparell put on to keep the body warme and a Treasure possessed to enrich a man yet he that Feedeth not shall be Famisht with Hunger he that goeth Naked shall be pinched with Cold and he that hath wealth and will not use it is but a poor miserable man so he that maketh no better use of the word which is the onely satning Food of his Soule his Soule shall be hunger-starved and perish notwithstanding all his hearing And this is the case of most men in these times wherein sin and the neglect of Ordinances hath gotten such an head through a long continued custome that though the heardest Oke is cloven with wedges and the flintiest Stone made hollow with continuall dropping of water yet there is not one heart amongst many penetrated by the VVord and if there be any trembling sometime as it was with Felix when Paul Preached it is but for the present the word is not retained but flown from as it was by him so that there can be no growth of this Heavenly suckle in these mens lives but branches of sinne will be so luxuriant that the word will be farre over-topt by them and kept perpetually at under And therefore
whosoever doth desire the word to be saved thereby let him tremble at it and yet embrace it let him prepare his heart better to entertaine it let him stirre up the spirit of his mind to understand it let him not lose such precious seed for want of harrowing in by due Meditation and let him cherish it in his inward thoughts continually that it may grow and prosper and more shew it selfe in his speeches actions and company then those bryar-like sprouts of his owne naturall corruptions Secondly we must see to it that we be doers of the word as well as hearers we must not onely know but observe and doe for Knowledge without Practice will availe nothing and so much of the truth as is put into practice is sure for ever the rest may be lost and it is a singular help to a Christian to set upon his obedience while the Doctrine is yet fresh in his mind for delay will compasse him about with many difficulties and he will want those inward incitations that might stirre up his heart with power and strength to obey And that this is the duty of every man as well to doe as to heare James 1.22 Rom. 2.6 see that in Saint James Now ye heare these things blessed are ye if ye doe them And Saint Paul saith That every man shall be judged not by his hearing but by his doing by his works Then up and be doing every one of you whilst time and strength permits for not onely that Fig-tree which had no Fruit was accursed but that Tree likewise which brought not forth good Fruit was to be hewen downe and cast into the Fire Luke 3.9 And those who have not fed the poor and clothed the naked c. will be bidden Depart ye oursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 Then what shall become of those shadows and Ciphers among Christians who place their Religion onely in hearing surely they want all substance of grace and being put into the Ballance as Belshazzar was they shall certainly be found too light when the rewarding of every one shall be according to his works then can they expect nothing but tribulation and anguish which shall be to every soule that doth evill And it is to be feared if inquisition were made more then our common sort might be taxed for this neglect in doing even some of those who pretend a great deale of Zeale to the Word and are frequent and attentive hearers and will runne to Meetings and make glorious shewes of Devotion giving Religion a thousand good words but for this duty of doing procul absit they have no heart unto it Covetousnesse still prevailes in them and some of them who would be thought rare Professors can perhaps sometimes be content to drinke a draught of stollen Waters as well as others making Religion a pretext onely the more covertly to wallow in the mire of their sins but such Kind of Professors what Zeale soever they may shew to the world are but Painted Christians beautifull onely outward and woe unto them that are such for notwithstanding all their glistering shewes they are but whited Sepulchers and comely out sides not like unto Christs Spouse all glorious within but full of rottennesse and corruption But as for you be you both hearers and doers alter you the course of your lives breake off your sins shake off the bands of Sathan dissolve the Cloudes of your iniquities fly wickednesse shun evill doe well doe good and aspire to such perfection in doing the will of your God as that you may not onely cease from evill but fill your lives with good workes and thus shall you be blessed ipso facto in the very deed for he that doth the Word is blessed he is no longer under the Curse a Vassall of wrath and a Child of perdition but blessed with Gods favour and love and in the certaine way to that unspeakable happinesse that shall hereafter be revealed But he that heateth the Word and doth it not deceives himselfe cheats and cousens his own soule and is but a forgetfull Foole a very Childe and no Man he dallieth with the Word as a Babe with a Looking glasse beholding it not for any end but to sport it selfe therewith never intending any thing about the Face to rectifie it or to set it in order Saint John doth divide the whole world into two sorts of Persons Qui ex Deo est non peccat Qui peccat ex Diabolo est The Children of God and the Children of the Devill the one hears Gods Word the other heares it not He that is of God heareth Gods Word John 8.47 Ye therefore heare it not because ye are not of God And to be hearers of the Word of God is a great pledge or testification that we are the Children of God especially our hearing of Gods word being accompanied with these foure concurring Circumstances The first is Audire to heare the word Blessed are they that heare the Word of God this is the first step and he that doth not put a Foot forward to this he is not to be accounted a Child of God The second is Audire cum frequentia to heare the word frequently and often The Earth that is extraordinary dry and scorched with heat the drops of water which it receiveth it turneth into Toads So he that seldome frequents Sermons it is to be scared they worke little good upon him if not turne to his hurt For the word of God is the Soules sustenance and being Ministred slowly it is no marvaile if the Soule not onely grow leane but fall into a Consumption The third is Audire cum attentione to heare diligently and with attention freeing the Soule from all worldly incumbrances for as the Eye cannot joyntly and at once behold both Heaven and Earth so the Soule cannot attentively at one and the same time behold the things of the world and of God If any Man love the World the love of the Father abideth not in him When a great and principall River is divided into many rivolets or little streames so much the lesle water will every one of them have The like succeedeth with that Heart which is divided into many cares and desires Foolish and noysime lusts drowne men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 And Solomon saith When thou sittest with a Prince observe what is before thee And put a Knife to thy throat if thou beest a man given to appetite Prov. 23.1.2 A Christian sitting at the King of Heavens Table is the hearing of his Word this is that board to which wisedome inviteth us where the Bread of wholesome Doctrine is set before us which strengthneth our hearts and the wine of Grace which cheereth and comforteth our Soules at which Table whosoever shall come to sit must consider with attention that which is set before him casting out of his minde all other worldly things Those Ministers that were employed for the apprehending of our Saviour
Christ finding him Preaching to the People they hearkned unto him with that earnest and diligent attention that they had quite forgot to put in execution that which was given them in charge by the Pharisees And being demanded by them why did ye not bring him along with you they returned this Answer Never man spake like this man The glorious Doctor Saint Augustine before that he had unwinded himselfe out of the error of the Manichees he went on purpose to heare Saint Ambrose but not with any intention to give any credit to his Doctrine but onely to please his Eares with the Elegancy of his Phrase and being ravished with the sweetnesse of his expressions had his Heart taken as well as his Eare his attention supplyed the fault of his intention this was that putting of a Knife to the throat The Apostle Saint Paul goes a little further and calls Gods word not onely Cultrum but Gladium not a Knife but a Sword Take unto thee the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God that thy Soule be not distracted with the troublesome businesses of this world freeing it from all worldly cares and molestations The fourth is Audire cum conservatione to heare with a retention and to lay up the Word in our Hearts to locke it up in the closet of our Soules and so Blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keep it The Physitian despaires of that Patients Stomacke that cannot keep its meat but throwes it up as soon as it receives it So he that hears a Sermon should retire himselfe into his Chamber and there imprint it in his memory Many take no pleasure in Flowers or care any further for them then to look upon them to smell at them and to have them in their Hands while they are sweet and fresh and lovely and then throw them by but the Bee drawes from them both honey and was So many heares Sermons for pleasure for delicacy of words for gravity of Sentences and for gracefulnesse in the delivery but this is but to make a Nosegay to smell at for a while and presently to cast it away but we must heare with retention we must seale it up in the coffers of our Remembrance For blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keep it And now having learnt how to behave our selves in the House of the Lord our God in his Publick Service and Worship and particularly how to comport our selves in the Hearing of the Word both to our Comfort and Profit We come now to the greatest and the most excellent service that God requires of us and that is Prayer which is that very Art of Arts that adornes a Christian And David saith That the holinesse of the Temple consisted in the Prayers which then had their force there And here you see That the Assembly gathered into the House of the Lord their exercise there is Sighing Sobbing Praying Crying Cry unto the Lord. And to this the Angels whet on our diligence and the Lord himselfe by Prayer permits us familiarly to poure out our hearts before him for Prayer is nothing else but an opening of our hearts in the presence of God and the best remedy we have to releeve our cares anguishes miseries oppressions and troubles is to lay them all up in his bosome Cast thy burthen upon the Lord saith David and he shall nourish thee And therefore whensoever we feele our selves deprived o◠Gods benefits towards us whensoever we finde a want or 〈◊〉 with holding of Gods wonted favour and mercy from us by reason of our sins whensoever the height of our sinnes brings downe the weight of Gods Judgement upon us whether it be by Plague Famine Warre or any other calamity let us run to this House and importune the God of glory and compassion for this is the onely businesse of this Fast and of this Solemne Meeting which brings us to the last Circumstance in the Method or Order And cry unto the Lord. Good cause had all this People to figh and weep and cry continually for their Land was russeted with a bloodlesse Famine And for us of this Land Lamen 2.1 c. How hath the Lord darkened the Daughter of Zion in his wrath and hath cast downe the beauty of Israel and remembred not his foot-stoole in the day of his wrath He hath cut off in his fierce wrath all the herne of Israel he hath drawne backe his right hand and a Fire was kindled in Jacob which devoured round about he hath bent his Bow like an Enemy his right kand was stretched out as an Adversary He hath despised in the indignation of his wrath the King and the Priest So that well may we take up a lamentation such as was not in the dayes of our Fathers for alas no lamentation can proportion our affliction so that a Deluge of Teares is little enough for the Ocean of our miseries Let then sorrow be our individuall companion with this we begun with this let us end nay never let us make an end of mourning for the abominations of this Land and let us all learne that last lesson of our Saviour to weep for our selves to weep for our sins And for this cause I shall still leade you on with paces of lamentation to the House of mourning where we are to cry unto the Lord. We will stay no longer to look upon the behaviour of this People whose teares did not onely runne downe like a River Day and Night but their very Hearts cryed unto the Lord They poured forth their Hearts like Water before the face of the Lord they lifted up their Hands towards him for the lives of their young Children that fainted for hunger in the Corners of all their Streets the services they brought unto the Lord were not onely Prayers but Teares they did not onely Pray but Cry And since we have so sinned and have been so punished doth it not now concern us and is it not now high time for us to betake our selves unto this Sanctuary of Prayer nay what manner of Prayers should we now send up to Heaven surely not such as most what we use to make such cold and frigid ones as if they were onely for fashion sake and as if there were an indifferency in us whether or no they found acceptation from the Lord and People that are in the fiery Furnace of affliction under the torrid Zone of Heauens indignation to be so luke-warme nay so very cold in their Devotions what doth this argue but either desperation that their praying is to no purpose or else mindlesnesse under the heavy hand of God whereas there is no better meanes for the removing of this Hand then Prayer For what sin doeth Prayer undoeth especially fervent Prayer Therefore the sins of our Nation being so great and loud as that the cry of them hath brought downe such horrible Vengeance upon us who can tell whether the cry of humble Prayer unto
mercy for the Lord our God is good and gracious and mercifull and of great kindnesse unto all them that call upon him Then cry unto the Lord. 3. But least that any poor soule should be disheartened as unworthy to cry for mercy by reason of his owne corruptions and spots and staines and leprosie of sin The next to hearten and encourage him is That the Lord as he is strong and mercifull so he is gracious that is loving and shewing mercy without any merit Art thou not worthy of mercy Hast thou not deserved the least favour at Gods hand what of that God tells thee for thy comfort that he is gracious The Lord our God is so gracious as that he will not tarry till we deserve favour nor till we be worthy of mercy but even while we are unworthy will freely shew forth his goodnesse and mercy towards us How worthy was Saul Acts 9 1. when he was even breathing ouâ— threatning and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord And therefore it is said of Abraham Rom. 4.5 That he beleeved in him that justifieth the ungodly noting thereby that sinne cannot hinder Gods favour from offenders but that through Faith they shall be justified and made as innocent in Gods account as if they had never offended at all Then let us not when we are in distresse be discouraged or dismayed by reason of the soulenesse of our sinnes but let us goâ— to the Lord and come but penitently and he will shew himselfe gracious notwithstanding them all Then cry unto the Lord. 4. But still the wounded soule perhaps may say Alas I have provoked God to wrath I have incensed him and justly drawne his heavy hand upon me by my sins and therefore though the Lord be gracious with what comfort or hope can such a sinfull wretch as I goe to cry to that God I have so hainously offended Hast thou provoked and offended thy God yet let not that dismay nor hinder theâ— but goe cry unto the Lord for he tells thee himselfe That he is slow to anger that is long ere he be provoked Witnesse the cryes of Sodome which pierced the Eares of the Almighty yet so loath was God to showre downe Fire and Brimstone as that he expostulates the matter as if he had bin jealous of his owne Eares and answers with an Ego vadam videbo I will goe downe and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry that is come unto me And thus as he is hard to be provoked making as though he saw not our sins because he would have us to amend so when he is provoked he is as easie to be appeased And this is seen in Mary Magdalene a notorious sinner in the City of Iernsalem who was grown so shamelesse as that the whole City suffered in regard of the bad report that went of her yet she no sooner stands at his Feet behind him weeping but Christ presently tells Simon Luk. 7.38 that many sins are forgiven her For we can no sooner fall out with our sins but God falls in with us An Earthly Father will not take every advantage against his Child and when the Child is grieved that he hath committed a great fault good Parents are easily satisfied The Lord our God piâ—tieth us as a Father his Children and whensoever we kindle his wrath against us one Teare of true Repentance will quench all the Flame thereof And to this David giveth sufficient testimony saying Psal 103.8.9 The Lord is slow to anger and of great kindnesse he will not alwayes chide nor keep his anger for ever And this he himself found by good experience for when after many mercies received he had grievously provoked the Lord in that matter of Vriah and did not repent but still lay in his sin insomuch as God was angry with him David no sooner begins to make confession of his sin but God forthwith tells him by the Prophet 2 Sam. 12.13 That he had put away his sin so that the Lord was more ready to offer him pardon then he was to aske it And therefore since the Lord is slow to anger and easie to be intreated let not our sins though never so many hinder us from Crying to the Lord. 5. But still some poor soule perhaps may say T is true indeed I know there is no fault on Gods part he is slow to anger and easie to be intreated But what am I the better when I cannot fit my selfe to seek for mercy as I ought to doe Alas I am weake and full of infirmities I come farre short every way I cannot Pray as I ought my Prayers are few and cold and weake I cannot keep Gods Word my memory is fraile and slippery c. What of all this let no weaknesse nor infirmities dismay thee for the Lord himselfe tells thee in the next place that he is abundant in goodnesse or abundant in kindnesse and it is the property of kindnesse to take small things in good worth and to passe by infirmities and weaknesse and to be easie to be intreated he will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax if we can but once come to be humble in heart though we cannot attaine to that measure of sanctification as others have nor poure out our Soules in Prayer as we should yet God will take all in good part he that will reward a Cup of cold Wateâ— he will reward a cold Prayer for God looks not for perfection from poor weak creatures that are full of imperfection And therefore since he is abundant in kindnesse let not our infirmities and weaknesse hinder us from crying unto the Lord. 6. But the poor afflicted soule may perhaps still say Though the Lord be abundant in goodnesse and kindnesse yet how shall I know that this goodnesse and kindnesse of God shall be performed unto me for I have Prayed and Cryed and waited long â—nd yet am never the neerer so that though he be good and yet not good to me kind and yet not kind to me what am I the better Hast thou Prayed and Cryed and wayted and hath not God seemed to regard nor answered thy requests in releeving thy wants easing thy torments removing thy pressures c. yet Cry still and in the Lords due time thou shalt be sure of reliefe for he never promiseth but he performeth if we persevere without fainting And so he himselfe tells thee in the next place that he is abundant in truth As he never threatens any thing but he executes it so he never promiseth any thing but he performes it You may beleeve him without an Oath But I have sworne by my holinesse saith God that I will not forsake David And never any yet could charge him with breach of promise hath he promised and shall he not performe Then cheare up your hearts and pluck up your spirits your God hath promised Psal 34.10 that those that feare him shall
what eare heart not of troubles and losses and crosses on Land and on Sea at home and abroad and where is any mourning for the afflictions of Joseph where are our tears that should cry aloud and pierce the ears of the Almighty surely we have not so mourned as we ought to have done It is a Prodigy to see Fountains dryed up in Winter but far more prodigious must it needs be to see our eyes hearts breasts and all dry in these so many winters of our common miseries and these long continued stormes of our afflictions I know there is few or none of us but will sigh at the losse of his goods by enemies at the parting with his estate at the Imprisoning of his Person at the banishing of himselfe and friends from their native homes there is none of these but seems to take away the very life of our soules from us and yet few of us sigh for our own or other mens sins the cause of all our woe But surely all causes rather then effects are to be lamented sin is the cause losse but the effect And though t is true that reason doth informe and affection doth inforce a kind of lamentation weeping and mourning for the losse of goods liberty or friends c. yet grace doth commend and God doth command another fighing sobbing crying both for our own and nationall sins for nature doth teach us to weep for naturall causes but grace for spirituall and if the least of our bosome sins be fire in the hand and a serpent in the heart how much more then are common sins to be lamented being the unfruitfull thornes that choke the good seed of vertue and grace And yet it is to be feared if inquiry were made that many would be sound in this great and still continued misery whose mouthes in stead of prayers and cryes belch and breath out nothing but the unsavoury speeches of the soule corrupting not the company onely but the very Ayre in which they breathe whose eyes in stead of tears are the open windows to let in whole loads of sin into their minds whose ears in stead of receiving and conveying the good Word of God to their soules are the doores of their own destruction whose breasts in stead of sighs are the very store-house of corruption nay were inquisition made it is to be feared that many of us would be found in these our publick maladies though the times have long called to mourning scarce to have layd aside our publick sins not parting with our ordinary impieties in these extraordinary judgements Good Vriah refused to take his honest ease 2 Sam. 11.11 while the Arke and Israel and Iudah abode in tents I pray God none of us have presumed to take unhonest courses since our miseries have bin so great our plagues so mighty Gods judgements so weighty and our danger so eminent Let then all of us shew our selves by an holy mourning that we are so far from participating in such mens sins and in the wickednesse of the world as that in consideration hereof we may be found not onely sighing but weeping and bemoaning the increase of iniquity and deploring the sins of our Nation And no doubt but many might be found amongst us who sometimes send out a naturall sigh or sob in regard of some outward thing as in regard of shame and punishment in regard of wants and distresses or in regard of the hand of God upon them by sicknesse paine sores or the like Exod. 8.8 as Pharaoh did when the hand of God was on him then he cryed I have sinned and take away this plague but he never cryed take away the hardnesse of mine heart and the cursednesse of my nature Nay more perhaps some may be found who sometimes sigh and groane for some actuall sin when they feel it pressing and lying heavy upon their Consciences yet these men but groane as the bruit beast doth that is pressed with some heavy burthen but they fetch not their sighs from under that corruption that cleaves to their Hearts so they groane not with their Hearts soundly when they sigh for their Sins But if we would have true comfort in sighing and groaning for Sin we must down to the root of all Sins in our selves and fetch our sighs from under that corruption that cleaves inwardly to our soules and that 's the sighing of a Child of God and such loud-tongued scalding Sighs and salt brinish tears flowing from the Heart-breaking of a Sin-burthened soule will be both pleasing to God and yeild comfort to us Let us then sigh and groane heartily for those Sins which are so deeply ingrafted in us let us weep for our selves let us weep for others let every remembrance of Sin both our own and others make fresh bleeding wounds in our Hearts Let sorrow clothe us let mourning cloud us let weeping be in every corner let nothing be heard in our streets but the Voyce of wayling and while our miseries are smarting and our calamities lasting let nothing remaine to the godly but sorrow and weeping that so we may escape unhurt in the devastation of the wicked for the Saints are alwayes priviledged men their sorrow is their safety their lamentation the cause of their preservation So in Ezekiel Ezek. 9.4 c. mourners shall be marked Set a Marke saith God upon the Fore-heads of them that Mourne and Cry for all the abominations of the Land and by this Marke shall be preserved Examples to all Posterity and Saints hereafter in Eternall Glory And thus having clothed you in the Garments of heavinesse and robed your soules with the sable livery of Mourning I cannot I suppose leave you in a better habit then that of Sorrow nor in a better Posture then that of Humiliation nor in a better Place then the House of the Lord your God where if you Cry earnestly no doubt but he will heare graciously And so let Lamentation Seale up our Discourse Lord Heare our Prayer and let our Cry come unto thee AMEN FINIS
Publick Sorrovv A Remedy for ENGLANDS MALADY Being an Explanation of the fourteenth verse of the first Chapter of the Prophet Joel By Ellis Weycoe M. A. Weep for your selves Luke 23.28 Be Afflicted and Mourne and Weepe let your Laughter be turned into Mourning and your Joy into Heavinesse James 4.9 Blessed are they that Mourne for they shall be Comforted Matth. 5.4 GATESHEAD Printed by Stephen Bulkley 1657. To his very much beloved Friends and Neighbours the Inhabitants of the Towne of Bridlington and the Key and to all the Parishioners thereunto belonging Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father c. Christian and endeared Friends VPon that Edict of the first of January 1655. prohibiting Sequestred and Ejected Ministers from Pulpit and all other imployments though I verily beleeve that his Highnesse and Councill chiefly aymed at the muzling of the Mouthes of such turbulent Spirits and Martiall Ministers as are no sooner claspt in their Pulpits but presently Proclaym War in stead of Preaching Peace Sedition in stead of Obedience and Confusion in stead of Order without the least intent of prejudice to such as were quiet and peaceable in Israel and not hearing as yet of any limitation being amongst many others by force thereof not onely disused from officiating in Publick but likewise debarred of all wayes and means through which by my costly Education I might have procured some reasonable competency for my selfe and the many depending wholly upon me I have had leisure enough to bewayle both mine own and others miseries And after not a few melancholy Cogitations finding my selfe an Achan a great troubler of this poor Church and People and seeing mine as much if not far more then others sins to be the onely cause of all our woes I set my selfe to find out some Remedy for distressed Englands Malady Hereupon I sometimes Mournfully yet willingly sate downe by the Banks of Babylon there making Sorrow my Soules Solace finding indeed no greater joy in my heavinesse then in Sorrow for sin Sometimes I walked abroad into the pleasant Meadows greene Fields and fresh Pastures of holy Scriptures there to seek and sinde some soure Hearbes and of the tartest relish and some Flowers of the darkest hew and strongest scent that their sad complexion might best please the weeping Eyes of a pensive Heart and their bitter smell might best affect the distasted Pallat of a sin sick-sorrowfull Soule Of both which sorts I found the Psalmes Ezekiel Hosea Joel Nehomiah and the Lamentaions of Jeremy well stored and thick Planted and gathering some of them such as I thought for my purpose I then took a turne into the delightsome Gardens of holy Writ to seek out some sweet flowers of comfort and finding plenty I cropt some few to mix with the other that the ones sweetnesse might something alay the others tartnesse And though thus full furnisht yet distrusting my own Skill and Judgement in so great a Cure of such a dangerous and deadly Disease I went to View the Receipts of far more Able Wise and Learned spirituall Physitians and from them extracted the best directions which together with my own weake Meditations I mixt with all the other Ingredients and having first washed them well in the waters of Marah have of all these severals or simples made up such a Compound as I hope will be a good Preservative against the Infectious poyson of sin and a good Salve for Englands present Sore And upon some thoughts that if this Medicine were good for my selfe it might by Gods blessing be comfortable to others also Considering also that a Book perhaps may speake when an Author may not not harbouring the least thoughts of Vain-glory or Popular Applause I resolved with my selfe to make my Meditations Publick like our Sorrows And not knowing how to doe it any other way I took this occasion of manifesting my dearest affections and best wishes to you amongst whom I had my first Breathing and have lived so long as that none better then your selves are able to give evidence both of my former conversation and present condition It may be meane and plain as it is it may conduce to the benefit of many but my principall intent in it was the zeale I have to your Soules the salvation of which I shall ever most heartily pray for Accept therefore I beseech you of these my poor Endeavours and make use of this Physick I have prepared for you But give me leave to give you some Directions in the taking of it You must Chew it Swallow it and Digest it not throwing it up so soon as you have received it for then it will doe you no good but if you can keep it in the Stomack of your Souls you will find it to be such a Violent Purge and working Vomit as will force you to Cast or Spue up all the Poyson of Sin If you think it be toe much to swallowow all at once you may divide it at you please into severall Potions yet I think the whole will be but three easie Mornings Draughts for your Soules however leave it not in the halfe though you take longer time to Drink and Digest it all and then I doubt not but as it bath been to me so it may be to you that takes it somewhat usefull and helpfull And if any of you find ease or get help by this Publick Sorrow the onely Physick for a sin burthened Soule then Prayse God and Pray for The unworthy Servant of the Lord Ellis Weycoe To the Sin-sick Reader Mat. 9 12. THey that be whole saith our Saviour need not a Physitian but they that are sicke This Physick I have here prepared for thee is made up of bitter Potions and sowre Druggs which taken according to the Direction in the Epistle Dedicatory will Purge corrupt Humours scoure away the filthinesse of sin and bring health and happinesse to thy sin-sick soule The severall Ingredients at the first I intermixed and framed into this Compound onely for my own use and have had from them the Operation I desired namely they have made many irksome houres the lesse tedious to me and much heavinesse to sit a great deale the lighter upon me It was far from my thoughts ever to trouble the too much oppressed Presse I am so conscious of my owne weaknesse as I cannot but blush in secret that ever I was prevailed with to make my selfe thus open I know not how my scribled Papers chanced to come to the view of some Persons of Judgement by whom I have been not intreated onely but very much importuned also to make this Treatise like the title of it Publick They set upon me with some Arguments which I could not gain-say truth is they have overcome me and made me at last though most unwillingly willing to expose my selfe to the Interpretation of this Censorious Age. Good Reader my Publick Sorrow hath long layd hid by me in the wombe of obscurity but is now after nine
Moneths delivered to the Light if it prove fruitfull or usefull to thee or any other it will be an ample compensation to my poore Labours That great and good Physitian of our Soules Christ Jesus blesse it to thee is the humble request of his and in him Thy Servant Ellis Weycoe The Contents HOw the Church of England ever observed Fasts and Holy-dayes Fol. 3. The Prince or Governour may appoint a Fast Fol. 3. Princes or Governours are to be Obeyed in their Commands Fol. 3. Foure Cautions to be observed in keeping a Fast Fol. 4. How to keep every day holy-day Fol. 4. God is never angry but for sin Fol. 6. Sin is the cause of all misery Fol. 7. 8. 9. 10. Mourners marked and thereby preserved Fol. 12. Soules sorrow Fol. 16. Better to deale with God by Teares then Words Fol. 17. The Antiquity of Fasting Fol. 20. Foure Rules to be observed in Fasting Fol. 22. Who must give to the Poor how much in what manner and to whom they must give Fol. 28. Christs Schoole a Schoole for all sorts Fol. 31. The Kingdom of Christ admits of no distinction Fol. 36. The best place of Refuge to fly unto in time of warre or any Calamity Fol. 39. Five Rules to be observed in Gods publick worâ—â—iâ— and service Fol. 44. Three Rules that sit us for a right behaviour in Gods House Fol. 46. Three Rules to binde us to the good-behaviour before we come to Heare at the time of Hearing and after we have Heard the Word Fol. 47. Our Hearing of the Word must be accompanied with foure concurring Circumstances Fol. 54. Prayer the Art of Arts that adornes a Christian Fol. 56. Godly sorrow and affliction the best remedy in any sorrow and affliction Fol. 59. The greatest affliction which should touch our Hearts is the Churches affliction Fol. 66. We must never make an end of Mourning till God make an end of Afflicting Fol. 71. 72. No distresse whatsoever can hinder Gods people from praying Fol. 78. The Knowledge of Gods power and mercy is the onely cause of bringing Christians into his presence and of moving them to call upon him in their miseries Fol. 83. Men can never truely seek God by Prayer till they know understand and apply his Name Fol. 83. 84. We must not onely Pray but Cry Fol. 94. Good Suiters alwayes good Speeders Fol. 44. 95. Three Rules to be observed if we expect help from God in distresse Fol. 96. 97. Joel 1. Chap. 14. Verse Sanctifie a Fast call a solemne Assembly gather the Elders and all the Inhabitants of the Land into the House of the Lord your God and cry unto the Lord. THe wisest Preacher of a mortall Man and of immortall memory that ever was or shall be inspired with the spirit of God saith That there is a time to Weep as well as to Laugh a time to Mourn as well as to Dance And surely seeing every Man and Woman under their own Vines and Figtrees have a long time satiated themselves with Laughing and Dancing or making merry with their Friends doubtlesse now these sad and cloudy times are the times that call for Weeping and Mourning for Baldnesse and girding with sackcloth For hath not God shot divers of his Arrows and have not some Bullers fallen from his Warning peeces which Arrows and Bullets poysoned with the Pestilence have not many years agoe hit and slain some People not onely in and about out Mother Cities but else-where in the spatious Countries Who perceiveth not how the destroying Angell hath of late unsheathed his Sword and brandished it over us of this Nation of England Who knows not how in respect of those unhappy differences amongst us Warr thundred in our trembling Countries lap the Sword devoured the Grace of England and became drunk with the Bloud of Natives Rovel 6.4 The red Horse with him that sate thereon to whom was given power to take Peace from the Earth and a great Sword still prancing and trampling in our streets both at Noon-day and at Midnight Now though the sinfull Sons and Daughters of men have and still doe lye neverthelesse sleeping in their sensualities yet the vigilant Watchmen of our English Israel our late Royall Kings in their severall Reignes and Governments observing Gods begun Jadgements and further threatned Punishments usually Proclaimed Easts in the times of common calamity And his Highnesse under whose protection and government we now live hath set a part many dayes of Humiliation appointing us a place of refuge or sacred Sanctuary to fly unto Prov. 18.10 that strong Tower that right Arke or little Zoar unto which the righteous run and are preserved even unto the House of the Lord our God carried thither with the feet of Prayer there with all fervency to Pray for the preventing and diverting of Gods further furious hand against us crying unto the Lord to spare this Land to spare this People to spare us from the Sword to spare us from the Famine and from all his sore Judgements which our sins most justly have deserved for which purpose the Trumpet hath been often blown in this our Sion the Fast Proclaimed and the Assembly gathered according to this of Joel Sanctifie a Fast call a solemne Assembly gather the Elders and all the Inhabitants of the Land into the House of the Lord your God and cry unto the Lord. This Fountain might divide it selfe into severall Streames but waving unnecessary Fractions I shall confine my Discourse to these two Heads 1. A duty enjoyned Sactifie a Fast 2. A method or order prescribed for the solemne performance of it Call a solemne Assembly gather the Elders c. Duty enjoyned 1. The duty enjoyned A duty no lesse necessary then seasonable For as St. Augustine observes Before the fall there needed but one glorifying of God that was by giving of thanks But now since the fall by reason of our many backslidings there must be also Sacrificium tribulati cordis the Sacrifice of a troubled Spirit for the mortifying of this flesh of ours which by being too much pamperd by us hath been so rebellious against God I shall passe by the first the duty enjoyned or Fast proclaimed my meditations intending to fix upon nothing but that which shall afford sit matter for mourning though the Proclamation it self being alwayes occasioned either upon begun Judgements or threatned Punishments might give just cause to hoise up saile in a Sea of sorrows but delighting onely in that heart-breaking and yet wel pleasing pensivenesse and therefore hastening to that Ocean oâ— sorrow in the exit or end of the verse sighing sobbing crying I will but salute the Fast enjoyned and stay but a while to bewayle these miserable times into which we are fallen which being the last must needs be the worst wherein so many are carried away with the severall blasts of vain Doctrine from Gods true Religion to these follies and fancies whereby they doe not onely wound Christs mystieall
Ieremy onely but all Man-kind may Write lamentations So that Non finire sed semper reservare lachrymas debemus We had need never make an end of mourning never end our sorrows for Sin intermit them we may but stilâ— let us keep our acquaintance with them That of Hierome 〈◊〉 confesse is true Detestandae sunt illae lachrymae quae non habeâ—â— modum Mourning without measure is a Hell upon Earth Yet again Detestandi sunt qui carent lachrymis they are to be detested that have no measure of this heavenly Manna but happy were we if we could for ever continue our mourning for Sinne and for the abominations of the Land God hath already given us the cup of his wrath to drink off and we have tasted deeply of the cup of his displeasure we have seen affliction in the rod of indignation this Land hath presented us with sad spactacles whole heaps of slain O how should the remembrance of our late sufferings set open again the Fountains and Floodgates of sorrow that rivers of tears might flow from our pensive hearts And if the Lord shall again be incensed by reason of our sins which are as many and great as ever what can we expect but having already begun to taste of the bitter cup of his wrath and displeasure he will force us the next time to drink it down to the dregs But since that groans and sorrow for Sin is the onely way to appease Gods wrath being far better to deale with him by tears then by words and seeing there is no sorrow to that of the soule though the eyes of the body should wax blind with weeping Let us shower down rivers of tears let us plentifully water our cheeks with tears and sigh and sob and weep and howle and cry unto the Lord to spare us from the Sword and let this our lamentation and mourning be coram not clam not onely privately but openly especially upon our Fast dayes or dayes of Humiliation for as solemnity expects it so antiquity prescribes it the Assembly called must be solemne Call a solemne Assembly Obj. But perhaps some will say God expects not this inward and outward sorrow in his service this heart-breaking and body-fainting our eyes weeping and our souls languishing for God wills that we shew our selves glad and cheerfull when we serve him Aaron was sad for the death of his Sonnes and Moses reprehending him because he had not eaten that day of the Sacriifice he told him Levit. 10.19.20 Quomodo potui comedere aut placere Deo in ceremoniis mente lugubri How could I eat or please God in the ceremonies with a mourufull mind and the text saith that Moses rested satisfied The Starrs being called by their Creator to give their light they are said to doe it Cum judicate with delight or cheerfully When we serve the Lord we are bidden to serve him with alacrity Mat. 6.17 When we fast the Word bids us Anoynt our heads that we seem not to men to fast Unge Caput tunm But the fast here enjoyned and the Assembly called must be solemne How stands this together the Scripture bids us both be merry and mourn in the Service of God Ans The answer may well be this That all our felicity consisting in sorrow for sinne we may very well be merry to see our selves sad Green Wood being put upon the Fire both weeps and burns a deep Valley is cleare on the one side and cloudy on the other and mans breast is sad in one part and joyfull in another 〈…〉 7. 〈…〉 St. Paul specifies two sorts of sorrow one which grows from God the other from the World that gives life this death And furely that soule that sorrows for his Sins gives glory unto God It was commanded in Leviticus that they should celebrate with great solemnity a day of expiation 〈◊〉 23.27 c. Et affligetis animas vestras and ye shall afflict your soules It seems not to sound well that men should make a great Feast with afflicting their soules but for Gods Friend no Feast ought to be accounted so great as to offer unto him a sorrowfull and a contrite heart for as there is nothing more sad then Sin so is there nothing so cheerfull as to bewayle it All our dishonest actions are but carnests layd down for griefe for Vice is ever an infallible forerunner of wretchednesse and all our unwarrantable aberrations end at last either in anguish or confusion for Sin on the best condition brings but sorrow with it and for Sinne without sorrow is provided Hell Then down to your Knees and desire of God that he would give you a tast of the sweetnesse of tears and your soules once tasting the sweetnesse of tears will not leave them for a world for tears are the delight of a penitent and there is no true joy but in sorrow for Sin So that all our felicity consisting in sorrow for our sins we may very well be merry to see our selves sad and if our sorrow cannot move men to godlinesse yet it is forcible to move God to mercy The broken heart for griefe of sinne and love of righteousnesse however the world despise it the Lord will not despise it yea it is the sacrifice of God acceptable to him in Christ Jesus Therefore saith one August Lachrymae sunt cordis sanguis Tears are the hearts blood And Lachrymarum preces utiliores sunt quam sermonum The prayers of teares are far more profitable then those of words Saint Chrysostome sayes That our sins are set downe in the table-book of Gods memory but teares are the spunge which blot them out againe In a word those teares that slow from a broken heart are that salt brine that will eure your wounds cheere your souls ease your consciences and please your God they take away all raw humors and make us savoury meat for the Lord nay more they subdue the Invincible and binds the Omnipotent so St. Hierome Oratio Deum leuit lachryma cogit who would not then mourn for sin and grieve because they cannot grieve enough and be earnest with God in St. Augustins expression Domine da mihi gratiam lachrymarum Lord give me the grace of tears Then weep for your selves and weep for others weep for the sins of the times for the abominations of the Land and cry unto the Lord. The text I took up for your use of purpose in these sad times and God grant it may be as profitable unto you as I 'me sure its fit for these sorrowfull seasons and though I wish no end to your mourning yet having led you thus far sorrowing for your sins and the sins of the times let us look back a little upon the Fast enjoyned which having done I shall again take you by the hand and leade you into the house of mourning the place appointed the House of the Lord your God and so goe along by the banks of Babylon to
may gather three other Rules which in a speciall manner fit us for a decent behaviour in Gods House 1. We should alwayes be as green Olive-trees in the House of the Lord But I shall be like a green Olive tree in the House of God For howsoever it goe with men in the world yet when we come before the Lord our hearts should rejoyce and revive and our spirits be fresh and cheerfull and our affections should be healed of all the cares and distempers that were in them before Gods Ordinances should have such a power over us as to make a suddaine fresh spring of desires and holy thoughts in us there is that power in the Ordinances of God to effect this if the fault be not in us I meane when these Ordinances are exercised in the power and life of them Let us then rejoyce to have a place among the servants of God that we may grow in the knowledge of godlinesse and be like green Olive-trees in the House of God 2. We must trust in the mercy of God For I trusted in the mercy of God for ever and ever bringing an heart ready to beleevâ— every good Word of God and resolving that if the Lord will speak comfortably to his servants we will not dishonour his consolations through carelesnesse and unbeleefe but receive them with all our hearts and establish our selves in the safe keeping of his good word Let us trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever 3. We must resolve to be thankfull I will alwayes prayse thee for that thou hast done Let us be thankfull with all earnestnesse for all experiences of Gods presence and goodnesse towards us in the means vowing with David to prayse him for ever for them and if the Lord doe with-hold hiâ— power and presence for a time so as we feele not the effectualnesse of his Ordinances yet we should resolve withouâ— distemper to wait upon the Lord and observe him according to the seasons of his grace and alwayes prayse him for that he hath done Thus having hitherto endevoured to tye you all to such good behaviour in the House of the Lord in all your publick service and worship of God as shall become the glory of his presence wishing that these my weak and unskilfull labours might wooe some more excellent Wits and more skilfull Pens to better this Discourse so needfull to be sounded in our Ears in these unhappy and unmannerly times wherein so many come so saweily and irreverently into the presence of the God of glory never once considering with Jacob How dreadfull is this Place and that this is no other but the House of God I shall now likewise endeavour to tye you all to the good-behaviour in your hearing of the Word of God for which these three directions will order you aright whereof some will bind us to the good-behaviour before we come to heare some at the time of hearing and some after we have heard 1. Before we come to heare We must bring with us two things First A resolution to deny our own wits reasons opinions and conceits and empty our heads of all perswasion of our own skill to judge of the things of God being ready to beleeve and think in all things as God shall teach us out of his Word 1 Cor. 3.18 We must be fools that we may be wise humbling our selves at his very feet to receive his law Deut. 33.3 They are humbled at thy feet to receive thy words Secondly We must bring with us a meek and quiet spirit a mind quieted from passions and perturbations and at rest from the turmoiling cares of this world The Word is able to doe great things in us if we receive it with meeknesse Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meekenesse the ingrafted Word which is able to save your soules James 1.21 2. At the time of hearing two things are to be observed First We must hearken without distraction we must heare as it were for our lives we must incline our Ears and shake off all impediments arising from our own drowsinesse or vain thoughts or distracting objects Encline your Eares and come unto me heare and your soule shall live Isay 53.3 For indeed the Preaching of the Word saveth the soule it is able to make the soule immortall if it be once ingrafted in us For this cause the Word is called 1 Pet 1.23 Incorruptible Seed that endureth for ever because it maketh us incorruptible and happy for ever for he that hath his soule saved liveth for evermore Now would you be sharers in this unspeakable blessednesse the Word must then be ingrafted in your hearts this heavenly plant of the Word must be set into your understandings and affections for when a man heareth the VVord with understanding it entreth into the heart as the impe into the stocke and when with love and affection he imbraceth it it is closed about that it may grow and prosper therein but this Word cannot be ingrafted in our hearts except the heart first be cleansed sin must be put out that the VVord may be ingrafted in the filthinesse of sin and all the sprouts of malice must be put away of harsh hasty and churlish we must become meek milde Mat. 18.2.3 and gentle The Disciples must become like little Children that is they must put away those evill affections of Envy Pride deceit c. which grow upon them with yeares otherwise they should but follow and heare their Master in vaine the VVord could not be ingrafted in them to save their soules You may see the Prophet Isaiah reproving the Jewes Isa 1.16 That they came to holy duties in their sins So that first of all there must be a putting away the evill of their doings and then a comming together to heare the Lord to their comfort No wise man will sow his Corne or plant his delicate Fruit-trees but will have the bryars and thornes first taken away and whatsoever filthy stuffe may hinder the prospering of his seed and thriving of his plants He will not poure Wine or Milke into filthy Vessels Every man cleares his Table books of the old writing when he intends to put in any new matter Now the VVord of God is seed the Preaching of it is a Planting it is VVine and Milke and a writing in the table of mens hearts all filthinesse of sin therefore must be removed this ground must be cleared from the bryars of Anger Hatred c. that the VVord may be Planted in we must like the Disciples and the first Christians leave off all that we may attend the VVord of God we must put away worldly things which cause pollution in the heart we must be like Zacheus Luke 19.8 who that he might heare Christ to his salvation put away Extortion Bribery and Oppression Or like the beleeving Ephesians Acts 19.19 who put away their curious Arts Or like Saul